The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in partnership with the National Bank of Georgia and the Ministry of Finance conducted a national workshop on Macroeconomic Analysis/ Financial Programming and Policies (FPP) in Tbilisi, Georgia. Leading analysts from the IMF’s Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center (CCAMTAC) conducted the training.

The workshop aimed to build capacity in macroeconomic analysis and forecasting for government officials from Georgia. The participants had the opportunity to enhance their qualifications and expand their professional networks. Such training also supports IMF surveillance and program negotiations by helping improve the foundation for economic policy discussions among the counterparts. Staff members of the National Bank of Georgia, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the Revenue Service, the National Statistics Service, and the Budget Office of Parliament actively participated in the workshop.

A panel discussion during the last day on recent developments and the economic outlook of Georgia featured Mr. Norbert Funke, Director of CCAMTAC, Mr. Shalva Mkhatrishvili, Head of the NBG’s Macroeconomics and Statistics Department, Ms. Eka Guntsadze, Deputy Minister of Finance, as well as Mr. Tsotne Marghia, Chief Economist at TBC Capital, who discussed the trends in the Georgian economy and gave the participants a good opportunity to engage in high level economic policy dialogue.

Ms. Natia Turnava, Acting Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, welcomed the participants and presented certificates. In her speech, she highlighted the continuous support of the IMF and the importance of inter-institutional knowledge sharing.

"It is a great pleasure for us to host a workshop that promotes the professional development of specialists working in the public sector. I am confident that the knowledge participants gained from international experts will not only enhance their professionalism and the quality of macroeconomic analysis and forecasting but also deepen cooperation between our organizations," said Ms. Natia Turnava.

Mr. Norbert Funke thanked the Georgian authorities for their hospitality and cooperation in conducting this in-person workshop in Tbilisi. He noted that the IMF has supported Georgia with policy advice, lending, training and technical assistance during decades. More than 750  Georgian officials have benefited from in-person training by the IMF and the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI) at different locations worldwide, including in Tbilisi.  

"The relationship between the IMF and Georgia is mutually beneficial.  Not only has Georgia benefited from the IMF, experts from Georgia have also actively contributed to IMF capacity development by sharing Georgia’s reform experience. Earlier this year, as part of CCAMTAC’s work program, the National Bank of Georgia had kindly hosted senior central bankers from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for knowledge exchange and peer learning. The authorities’ focus and initiative on creating professional learning opportunities and expanding regional cooperation are commendable," said Norbert Funke.

IMF-CCAMTAC is a collaborative venture involving nine member countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The center, based in Almaty since 2021, serves a region with over 100 million people, focusing on strengthening economic policies and institutions to further develop the region’s economic potential.